Gillette Super Adjustable - The Black Beauty

[Grundi]

1972 Gillette Adjustable - Super 109 - The...Black...Beauty

TL;DR - committed to razor for a week, excellent shaves, weight biased toward the head, love the long handle

History - Gillette introduced adjustable razors in 1955 and produced them through 1988. The Super 109 (along with the Super 84 - same razor with a shorter handle) in 1968 with a $1.95 price tag...$1.95!! Since I was only 2 years old at the time, I missed out on this amazing razor!!

Personal Preference - I found that setting 5 gave me the best overall shaving experience. And I prefer longer handled razors and I've gravitated toward the Black and Silver look. I did win a Gillette Travel Tech during The Auction, and it will take some time to get used to an itty, bitty, teeny, tiny handle.

Heretical Observation - for my first shave, I tried different setting, but for the rest, I stayed on 5 and didn't reset it for subsequent passes.

Review - Once I settled on setting 5, this razor produced very comfortable DFS shaves. (I can't get a BBS shave since the skin on my neck close to my Adam's apple is sensitive and will only abide 3 passes). It did take a little getting used to the heft of the head, feels about 2:1 bias toward the head. My go-to razor, Merkur 20C, is balanced, as far as I can tell. Had no problem getting in close in my mustache area and the hairs in my nostrils. I really like long handled razors so this razor has a permanent place in my stable of razors.

Blade Usage Anomaly - Maybe it's my lack of experience with The Black Beauty, but I went through 2 blades (an Astra SP and a SuperMax Tiger SP) during the week.

My Only Gripe - I wish the knurling was a tad more aggressive. This razor feels great in the hand, but I like just a bit deeper, sharper pattern.

Acknowledgement #1- HUGE THANK YOU to @matwho for this amazing razor! It was included as part of one of his lots that I won during the Saint Sue Moore Memorial NBCF Auction. This 45 year old razor arrived in excellent shape!! 45 year old razor, very impressed!!

Acknowledgement #2 - HUGE THANK YOU to B&B Community for the incredible and informative discussions that take place. In another thread that discussed The Black Beauty, someone (and I apologize for not remembering who) made mention of the final 1/4 twist to lock in the blade. Had I not read that, I wouldn't have known to do it.

 

[GearNoir]

Great review and info, thanks!

How did you settle on setting 5 so quickly?

 

[santamariasteve]

The Black Beauty is an outstanding razor, both LH and SH.

 

[MaineYooper]

My most comfortable and efficient setting is also 5, on my '64 Slim. 6 is the most efficient and slightly less comfortable IF I am not mindful of the shave. On 5 I can do mental multitasking!

Sent from my SM-T377R4 using Tapatalk

 

[Morman Bridge]

Good review, good razor.
I broke out my short handles version of the Super Adjustable earlier in the week, and had a shave with it again today. I hadn't used it in several years. I was using other razors I was more interested in. But when I dug it out this week, I wanted the experience of an adjustable shave. And I'm glad I did. I think the OP may have been on to something though, when he mentioned the blade use issue he noticed. I noticed I wasn't getting more than one shave each blade. But it is likely in my case a lack of experience with the Adjustables. I also started the first shave with several days growth. That, coupled with incorrect angle could have contributed to the blade use.
No matter though, the BLack Beauty/Super Adjustable is a fine shave tool. I'm glad I still have one.
Thanks again for the great review!
Peace.

 

[TomV]

Picked one up a couple of weeks ago, my new favorite. I've tried 3 or 4 different blades, the 5 setting seems pretty good for me.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

My most comfortable and efficient setting is also 5, on my '64 Slim. 6 is the most efficient and slightly less comfortable IF I am not mindful of the shave. On 5 I can do mental multitasking!

Sent from my SM-T377R4 using Tapatalk

This sounds a lot like me and my 63 Slim. I use it on 5 mostly, but sometimes bump it to 6.

My face doesn't like more than two passes plus maybe some touch up.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[jar_]

I see another comparison coming on. Maybe Gillette long handle/short handle, fat handle/shinny handle, Futur/Mergress and maybe even throw in the non-adjustable adjustables like ATT M1/R1 or Rockwell 2C.

 

[bberg100]

My favorite Gillette. Started with one in the mid 70s. I find #7 to be my sweet spot.

 

[Grundi]

Thank you, everyone, for the great responses!!

Great review and info, thanks!

How did you settle on setting 5 so quickly?

Maybe sometimes YMMV doesn't mean what we think it means. After reading the experience of others, I thought I'd try what they tried. A lot have said that somewhere in the 4 - 5 - 6 settings is where they get the best (either comfortable or efficient) shave. So I got brave and tried 6; however someone posted out opening it right up to 9 but I just couldn't do that. 6 was ok, but 5 felt more comfortable.

My most comfortable and efficient setting is also 5, on my '64 Slim. 6 is the most efficient and slightly less comfortable IF I am not mindful of the shave. On 5 I can do mental multitasking!

Sent from my SM-T377R4 using Tapatalk

This is that YMMV thing that sometimes doesn't include the ..MV part. My experience matches yours. 6 is more efficient (closer...maybe too close on my neck that I got weepers) but 5 was more comfy and enjoyable.

My favorite Gillette. Started with one in the mid 70s. I find #7 to be my sweet spot.

7!?! I'm not sure that I'm brave enough just yet to try 7.

 

[BigJ]

Great review of an excellent razor! Thanks!

 

[Ad Astra]

Probably a good lady leg shaver. Think I do prefer it to a Slim.

Mine does lock, though it's hard to lock it.


AA

 

[Grundi]

Probably a good lady leg shaver. Think I do prefer it to a Slim.

Mine does lock, though it's hard to lock it.


AA

It's the long handle, and boy do my legs look great!!

There is a noticeable difference in pressure for the last 1/4 turn +/-. My only gripe...and it's a small one...is that the knurling could be more aggressive. This might have helped with locking in the blade.

 

[Ad Astra]

The "twist lock" you are feeling is built into all the adjustables (I think). There's another name for it ... Anyone?


AA

 

[emwolf]

Great review. This is the razor I first learned to shave with in the 70's.

 

[JazzDoc]

Great thread.

Now I’m going to be the odd man out heretic on this model.

I have eight different models of vintage Gillette razors, and now this one. I received the Black Beauty from Razor Emporium in beautifully restored condition recently.

I can say that this razor is the ONLY vintage Gillette that I have which I wouldn’t miss at all, were it gone.

I had to dial it up incrementally to 7 in order to start feeling any blade efficiency and sensation against my three day old beard.

The weight and mass of the head upon the long black handle felt imbalanced and clumsy.

I had quite a bit of difficulty positioning the razor blade so as to procure a good line on my mustache and goatee, which is not the case with any other DE that I own - even those with bulkier heads.

I will say that I ended up with a comfortable BBS shave after WTG and ATG passes and a few touch-ups, but I usually do with any non-open comb safety razor, especially since I began to shave quite regularly with straight razors.

I used a either a fresh Pol-Silver blade or a Personna Red for a few shaves with each.

So that’s my take on this one - my least favorite Gillette adjustable.

 

[timetofly]

@JazzDoc let me know if you ever want to sell it

 

[Badgerstate36]

Ive got an '80 Black Beauty, which is my birth year razor and its an awesome shaver.

 

[JazzDoc]

@JazzDoc let me know if you ever want to sell it

Will do!

 

[jar_]

I decided to put my Black Beauties back in use and started with the short handle I got in the early 70s. Still does a great job.